Draft rigging



Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES DRAFT RIGQING Glenn F. Couch, Rochester, N. Y.,' assignor to The Symington Company, New York, corporation of Maryland N. Y., a

Application March 2, 1928. Serial No. 258,556

14 Claims. (01. 213-71) This invention relates to railway draft rigging and more particularly to a construction in which the coupler is directly swiveled with respect to an associated yoke for the transmission of draft forces, provision being made for relative longitudinal movement between the coupler and yoke upon the application of buffing forces.

A principal object of my invention, generally considered, is the provision of draft rigging preferably employing only one key which serves for supporting the forward portion of the yoke and transmitting draft forces to the car sills, said yoke being provided with preferably integral horizontal webs connecting the forward portions thereof, and the coupler being formed with rearwardly extending flanges on the end of the stem thereof, said flanges being interspaced between the webs of the yoke and said webs and flanges apertured for receiving a pin which permits pivotal motion therebetween and provides for the transmission of draft forces between the coupler and yoke.

An object of my invention is to provide a horizontal yoke with a forward hooded portion preferably formed as three horizontal webs or shelves between which rearwardly extending flanges on the coupler are received, said webs and flanges being perforated for receiving a quadruple shear pivot pin, means being provided on the top and bottom webs of the yoke for holding flat retainers above and below said pin.

Another object of my invention is to provide a draft rigging involving a pivotally connected coupler and yoke, said yoke for that purpose being formed with a hooded portion involving spaced horizontal webs between which rearwardly extending flanges on the coupler stem are interspaced, said webs and flanges being apertured and a vertical pivot pin extending through said apertures for pivotally connecting said coupler and yoke for the transmission of draft forces, the apertures in the webs of the yoke being elongated to permit relative movement of the coupler with respect to the yoke upon the application of buffing forces to the coupler, whereby said pin and yoke are relieved of such forces, and a swivel block positioned between the rear end of the coupler and the associated cushioning mechanism, the engaging surfaces of said coupler and swivel block being coaxially curved with respect to the pivot pin whereby bufling forces are transmitted from the coupler to the cushioning mechanism without loss of the 'pivotal feature.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relating to the particular arrangement and construction of the various parts will become ap-' parent as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawing illustrating my invention, the scopewhereof is defined by the appended claims,- 1

Figure 1 is a plan view of railway draft rigging embodying my invention, the associated sills, striking casting, back stop and portions of the coupler yoke and associated parts being shown in horizontal section. I b

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the draft rigging shown in Fig. 1'. I

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section I on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direc- 0 tion of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, I have shown one form of my invention embodied in a coupler 1, and a yoke 2 positioned between associated sills 3, the outer ends of which are connected to a striking casting and sill tie member 4, and intermediate portions of which are connected to a backstop 5. As is customary, the. upper portions of the sills are connected to a cover plate 6.

The sills are provided with longitudinally extending slots 7 receiving correspondingly slotted portions of the cheek plates 8. Although each cheek plate is formed with a pair of slots 9 and 10, inthe present embodiment of my invention only the rear slots 10 are employed, the arms of the yoke being correspondingly slotted as indicated at 11 and an associated key IZ-passing through the slots 10 and 11 and supporting the arms of the yoke as well as the associated correspondingly slotted front follower 13. The rear end of the yoke is in the present embodiment curved and received in a correspondingly formed pocket in the back stop 5.

Positioned between the rear or U-shaped end of the yoke and the front follower 12 is a cushioning mechanism 14 which may be of any desired form and in the present embodiment is shown as a friction draft gear. Positioned between the rear end of the draft gear or cushionmg mechanism 14 and the yoke 2 a rear follower 15 is desirably provided. Any form of draft gear carrier means, not shown, may be employed for holding said draft gear in proper operative position.

The yoke has a hooded forward end, that is, the forward ends of the yoke arms are, in the present embodiment, integrally connected by three horizontal webs 16, 17 and 18. The upper and lower webs 16 and 18 are longer or wider than the intermediate web or tie bar 17 and are provided with slots 19 and the intermediate web is provided with a notch or recess 20 registering with the forward ends of the slots 19 and forming a bearing for an associated pin;

in interleaved relation to. the bifurcated Stem.

Said flanges are provided with of the coupler. apertures 23 registering with v eachoti er and normally registering with the notch 20, in the transverse tie bar 1'7 of the yoke, and the for.- ward ends of the slots 19 in the webs of the yoke. "The rear edges of the flanges 21 and 22' are curved -'coaxially .with respect to the apertures 23.

For pivotally connecting the. yoke and coupler a vertical or upright pin 24 is providedextending through the apertures 23 in thecouplerflanges nd dr en a in in he n tch or bearin ZQandthe forward ends of the slots 19 of the oke web For reven in undes ed removal or loss of the pivot pin 24 the upper andlower surfaces of the webs i6 and i8, respeotively, are formed with outstanding webportions 25 slotted, at 26 for the reception of flat keys 27 which are inserted above and below the pivot pin 24 and then desirably retained in place by bending the ends as indicated at 2 8. Inasmuch as-the pin is adapted forrearward motion with respect to he vote in the lo s he e a n n e 2 are preferably disposed adjacent the middleof the. slots 19 so that they will always engage'a portion of the pin 24,. Above and below the pin,

2ft the web portions 25 are preferably joined as indicated at 29, apertures 30, however, being retainedfor insertion and removal of. the pin.

In order to provide for transmitting bufling forces from the coupler to the cushioning mechwhile at the same time relieving the pin 2i'and the yoke arms from such forces, I provide an auxiliary member or swivel block 31 formed with a rear web or wall 32 adapted to abut the front face of the front follower 13 and desirably pocketed as indicated'at 33 for interlocking with the tongue 34 on said follower, and a forwardly extending portion 35 received between the flanges 21 and 22 of the coupler and notched at its extreme forward end to partially embrace the associated pivot pin 24. Above and below the portion 35 pockets 36 and 3'7 are provided, the front surfaces of which are curved is provided between the pivot pin 24 and theforward sides of the apertures 23 in the flanges and the extreme front end of the forwardly extending portion 35 of the swivel or bearing block3l, as illustrated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided for the efficient transferofbufling and draft forces between the coupler and associated follower, key and draft sills of the car.

mechanism in railway draft rigging, while at the same time permitting a desired amount of angling between the coupler and yoke. When draft forces are applied to the coupler the same are transmitted through the pivot pin 24 to the webs 16, 17 and 18 of the yoke, said pivot pin being placed in quadruple shear. From the yoke said forces are transmitted through the cushioning mechanism to the front Upon the application of buffing forces to the coupler the yoke remains stationary with respect to the car, the coupler, associated pivot pin and swivel block moving-rearwardly to directly compress the-cushioning mechanism, the forces being transmitted from the curved rear edges of coupler flanges through the swivel block 31,-front follower 13 and cushioning mechanism tothe back stop and sills of the car.

Having now described my invention, I

claim:

1. Inrailway draft rigging, in combination, a horizontal yoke formed with forwardly extends ing arms united by a plurality of integral webs, a'coupler with a stem the .rear end of which is provided-with flanges alternately interspaced between said webs, said flanges being formed with registering apertures and webs formed with registering slots, means intersecting said aperr. tures and slots for pivotally connecting the c'ouplerand yoke for theitransmission of draft forces, and a swivel blockapositioned rearwardly of :said coupler flanges and disposed between thelupper and lower webs of the yoke for transmitting buffing forces directly from the coupler to associated cushioning mechanism,

' 2. In railway draft rigging, incombination, a

yoke with forwardly extending arms united by a plurality of integral webs, a coupler with a stem the end of which is formed with rearwardly ex.- tending flanges, the rear edges of which are curved and alternately interspaced between said webs, means intersecting. said webs and flanges for pivotally-connecting said coupler and yoke, u hion n mechani m embraced by a d ke, a foilower positioned forwardly of said mechan m, c supp r n said l r and c necting it to associated sills, and an auxiliary member positioned between said follower and up er or ran mit n ufi s forces t er between.

3. A railway draft appliance involving a yoke having spaced arms adapted to receive a cushioning device between them, a car coupler having a stem provided with a rearwardly opening slot, the yoke being formed with a transverse tie projecting into said slot, a pivot pin movable longitudinallyof theyoke and passing through the latter and through the coupler stern and cooperating with said transverse tie to place the pin in quadruple shear when the coupler is subject to draft forces, and av bearing block cooperating with the rear end of the coupler stem and adapted to transmit buffing forces to said cushioning device.

4. In a railway draft appliance, the combination with a yoke having spaced arms adapted to receive a cushioning device between them, of a car coupler having a stem, a pivot pin connecting the yoke and the coupler stem, and a bearing block cooperating with the coupler stem for communicating buffing forces to the cushioning device, the coupler stem being movable rearwardly with respect to said yoke and being provided with a slot extending in advance of the pivot pin, the yoke being provided with a member extending through said slot in advance of the pin and with respect to which said coupler is movable longitudinally, and the pin being adapted to engage said member so as to be placed in quadruple shear when the coupler is subjected to draft forces.

5. In a railway draft appliance, the combina tion with a yoke having aligned longitudinally extending slots and having spaced arms adapted to receive a cushioning device between them, of a car coupler movable longitudinally with respect to the yoke and having a stem provided with a slot, a pivot pin passing through said aligned slots of the yoke and the stem of the coupler and intersecting said slot, and means extending through said slot in advance of the pin and rigidly connected to said yoke, said pin, when subjected to draft forces, being adapted to engage said means and said yoke so as to be in quadruple shear.

6. A railway draft appliance involving a yoke having a plurality of arms adapted to receive a cushioning device between them, a car coupier having a stem provided with a rearwardly opening slot, a member integrally united to said yoke and projecting into said slot, a pivot pin engaging and pivotally connecting the yoke and coupler stem and engaging said integral memher when subjected to draft strains, said pin being movable i'earwardly with respect to said integral member, and a bearing block ooopera ing with the coupler stem for communicating buffing forces to the cushioning device.

'7. A railway draft appliance involving a yoke having vertically spaced portions apertured to receive a vertically extending pin, a car coupler having a stem provided with a transversely extending rearwardly opening slot, said yoke being provided intermediate said apertured portions with a transverse member extending through said slot, a pivot pin passing through the apertured portions of the yoke and through the stem of the car coupler and movable rearwardly with respect to said transverse member and adapted to engage said transverse member when subjected to draft forces, and a bearing block cooperating with the stem of the coupler for receiving bufiing forces applied to the latter, said block having a portion extending into said slot.

8. A railway draft appliance involving a yoke having a hooded forward end and integrally provided with a transversely extending intermediate tie bar, a car coupler having a stem extending into the hooded end of the yoke and provided with a rearwardly opening slot for receiving said tie bar, and a pivot pin for connecting the yoke and coupler, said coupler being adapted to move longitudinally with respect to the yoke, and said pin being adapted to engage the tie bar when the coupler is subjected to draft forces,

9. In a railway draft appliance, the combination with a yoke having a hooded forward end and provided with a transverse tie bar, of a car coupler having a stem formed with a rearwardly opening slot for receiving said bar, a pin pivotally connecting the coupler and yoke, and a bearing block cooperating with the coupler stern and adapted to transmit buffing forces to a cushioning device, said pin being disposed to the rear of said tie bar and being movable rearwardly with respect thereto, and the tie bar being recessed on its rear side to form a bearing for the pin.

10. A railway draft appliance involving a car coupler having a bifurcated stem, a yoke having a plurality of spaced arms and provided at its forward ends with a transversely extending intermediate web, the latter being in interleaved relation to the bifurcated stem of the coupler, means pivotally connecting said yoke and coupier, said means being movable rearwardly with respect to said intermediate web and extending through said coupler to the rear of said web and being engageable with said web when said bifurcated stem is subjected to draft forces, and a bearing block having portions engaging the rear end of the coupler stem and having a portion in interleaved relation with said stem.

11. In a railway draft appliance, the combination with a yoke having longitudinally slotted end portions, of a horizontal Web integral therewith, disposed between and spaced from said portions, a car coupler having a stem formed with a rearwardly opening slot for receiving said,

web, a pivot pin passing through the slotted portions of the yoke and the stem of the coupler, a bearing block cooperating with the rear end of said stem and movable with the coupler in buffing, and a follower having a transverse slot, said yoke having spaced arms provided with slots in transverse alinement with said slot for the reception of a connecting draft key.

12. A yoke having a hooded forward end comprising spaced webs and integrally provided with a transversely extending intermediate tie bar spaced from said webs, said tie bar being recessed at its rear side to form a bearing for an associated pivot pin.

13. A horizontal yoke having laterally spaced arms integrally united by upper, lower and intermediate webs, said upper and lower webs being slotted to receive the upper and lower ends of an associated pivot pin, and provided with means for retaining said pin in place, the intermediate web being formed with a rearwardly opening recess alined with the front ends of said slots to form an intermediate bearing for said pin. I

14. In railway draftrigging, in combination, a horizontal yoke formed with forwardly ex.- tending arms united by a plurality of integral Webs, a coupler formed with rearwardly extending flanges on the stem thereof alternately interspaced between said webs, means intersecting said webs and flanges for pivotally connecting said coupler and yoke, the apertures through the upper and lower webs being elongated for permitting rearward movement of the coupler with respect to the yoke, web portions outstanding from the outer surface of said upper web and slotted for receiving a key above said pivotal means, said web portions merging with one another to close the elongated aperture in said upper web above said pivotal means rearwardly of the normal position thereof, and web portions outstanding from the lower web and slotted for receiving a key below said pivotal means, said web portions merging with one another to close the elongated aperture in said web below said pivotal means rearwardly of the normal position thereof.

GLENN F. COUCH. 

